In the past, Dadaocheng District was a large area in Taipei’s Datong District where people dried grains in the sun. Nowadays, the area is still bustling with activity, blending some creative atmosphere with its hundred-year history. Walking around the area, you will smell the aroma of quaint teahouses and Chinese herbs floating in the river breeze. It really gives you a taste of Taipei during those peaceful days when Tamsui Port opened for foreign trade in the early 1860s.
Today, the Dadaocheng area features a mix of classic dried herb and tea shops, along with trendy cafes, restaurants and bars that add a local touch to their offerings. Here’s how to make the most of your visit:
Look up: Stunning architecture
One of those old places in Taipei, Dadaocheng was established in the 1850s. Today, you can still find rows of magnificent old buildings all packed into a small area. History buffs will definitely find this place irresistible, with traditional Qing Dynasty-style houses lining up alongside the Baroque style that was popular during the Japanese colonial occupation.
This is also a photogenic spot, with the stunning AS Watson building, old signs, and rows of upscale shops filled with a mix of businesses, from trendy cafes to Chinese herbal pharmacies.
Dadaocheng is located near Dihua Street (Taipei's oldest street) – and has everything that makes this area special: tea and herbal merchants, an old-school East-meets-West atmosphere, and trendy cafes.
The best way to explore Dadaocheng is to start from the north as it is the least crowded area. This means you can explore the relatively free streets. The further south you go, the more crowded it gets, with the centre of the congestion being around the Xia Hai City God Temple. You can start by taking the subway to Daqiaotou Station and heading down Dihua Street to the southern end of the road.
cafe hopping
After touring Dadaocheng, you’ll need to take a break! There’s no shortage of great cafes to get your caffeine fix at. If you like themed cafes, you’re in luck.
For handcrafted coffee, Palace Cafe This cafe is a favorite among visitors, with its vintage interior design that is relaxing and calming. Moreover, this cafe is located next to the famous signboard on Dehua Lane 14. Another cafe with a vintage atmosphere is Coffee also known aswhich is a bit hard to find because the entrance is quite narrow. But once you get inside, the colonial-style space opens up to a spacious garden, and you can try some of their coffee cocktails here.
If you like chocolate, head upstairs. Coffeewhich not only contains Locally sourced coffee plus Taiwanese chocolate.These drinks are made locally, and are infused with local coffee beans and tea leaves, so you'll get flavours like Chiayi Alishan Geisha and Oriental Beauty Tea.
Perhaps one of the most interesting is Immigrant CouncilIt's filled with stuffed animals (from badgers to bears!), skeletons, and a selection of antiques. It's definitely a great quirky place to take photos!
Tea is steeped in history.
Even if you’re in Taiwan just for the famous bubble tea (Dadaocheng also serves bubble tea), you can’t visit this place without sampling some Taiwanese tea at the many tea houses here. After all, the area has been the heart of Taiwan’s tea trade for about 150 years.
If you want to taste history, visit Wangtia LaboratoryFounded in 1890 and still in operation today, you can take a tour of the tea roasting facility, sample some of the unique teas and tea drinks at the new luxury tea bar.
Another respected tea merchant is Shin Hong Chunlocated in an 80-year-old, three-story house that now serves as a kind of museum.
Since Dadaocheng is the tea district of Taipei, there are plenty of places to sample Taiwanese tea. Those who appreciate the old-fashioned atmosphere can head to South Street Delight Tea House or ASW Tea House.
You can also bring home some specialty Taiwanese tea (such as Oriental Beauty, Dong Ding, JingXuan, etc.) or even dried fruit tea from one of the many tea merchants lining Dihua Street.
Dried herbs, fruits and souvenirs
As you walk around Dadaocheng, you will smell the soothing scent of Chinese medicinal herbs in the air. You can find ancient traditional Chinese herbal medicine shops along Dehua and Minli streets, which have been here for more than a century. Many of these shops have a pharmacy where a Chinese medicine doctor can offer advice, such as Liu An Tang Chinese Medicine Shop (六安堂參藥行) which offers single-use packs of Chinese herbs. Another Chinese pharmacy, Yao Di Herbs (姚德和青草號), not only sells herbs, but also serves as a trendy tearoom that sells ready-to-drink herbal teas.
If you’re looking to buy souvenirs for friends and family back home, Dadaocheng is the place to go. You can find plenty of shops selling dried fruits that Taiwan is famous for – such as plums, mangoes, kumquats, guavas, and more. FullMountain is one such shop that specializes in all kinds of Taiwanese snacks, including dried fruits. Alternatively, walk down Dihua Street and you’ll find rows of shops selling samples of dried fruits for you to try.
Another old business that has been around for a long time is Dachun Soap, where you can get a variety of soaps made using local ingredients. There is also a test bench where you can wash the soap.
Once you've bought enough, you'll probably want to get a big bag to carry all your purchases! Head over to Gao Jian Bucket Shop and grab a tri-color nylon woven bag called qiezi-daithey are inexpensive and very durable.
Pubs with local flavour
When night falls, you may feel like heading to a bar. There aren't as many options here as there are in Shenyi areaBut each one of them is unique. These include: City North Bara classic-looking bar located on the top floor of a department store, where cocktails include unique signatures featuring local ingredients.
The famous AS Watson building also houses a bar with a classic interior design on the third floor: Antique bar dating back to 1900 It features an old-fashioned interior and specializes in absinthe!
If you're in time for sunset, head to the pier at Container market at Dadaosheng wharfIt's basically a beautiful container garden with lots of stalls where you can have dinner and drinks while enjoying the river view. Try Sunmai's craft beer, then head upstairs to enjoy the great views.
